Beautiful simplicity of human power

For the craftspeople among us the lathe this gentleman is operating is called a Pole Lathe. Such great technology! Why did we ever surrender to combustion to do our work?? The only fuel used here is the bowl of porridge this guy had for breakfast!

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8 responses to “Beautiful simplicity of human power”

Pretty cool kade. Am currently working on a foot operated grinder. I have several hand powered ones, but need a foot powered version so I can use both hands to hold the workpiece. Will send you some photo’s when it’s finished.

Interesting you should say that. I was presenting at a tool maintenance workshop recently, demonstrating how to sharpen drill bits, amongst other things. I was using a sharpening jig and a hand grinder, jig in left hand, hand grinder in right. There was a guy in the audience who held ajob at the patience & nicholson drill bit manufacturing plant in maryborough, sharpening drills, by hand, on an electric grinder, 5 days a week for 35 years. He scoffed at my jig and hand grinder saying that he could sharpen 5 times as many drills as I could. When I asked him how he could do it sustainably, without an electric grinder, his only suggestion was, that he would hold the drill bit, whilst I operated the hand grinder………..

Yeah, we didn’t stay for the scythe demo as we had to ride 20 kms back home after the event, but we were as stunned as you when we saw the photo. Mind you, not surprising that he couldn’t find any grass to cut, it was redneck maryborough where people mow house blocks with ride on mowers.

Re the drill sharpening, how bout I write up a guest blog post for your site, I can send it through in pdf so you can add what you want.

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Words from the Wise

“When there is light in the soul,
there is beauty in the person.
When there is beauty in the person,
there is harmony in the house,
When there is harmony in the house,
there is order in the nation,
When there is order in the nation,
there is peace in the world”
- ancient Chinese proverb